The present invention comprises a new Verbena, botanically known as Verbena hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘VEAZ0016’.
‘VEAZ0016’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar has large sized umbel and flowers, bold red colored flowers with a white-eye, is early to flower with good floriferousness on plants of medium vigor and medium green foliage.
‘VEAZ0016’ originated from a hybridization made in August 2007 in a greenhouse environment in Enkhuzien, The Netherlands. The female parent was the proprietary plant designated ‘HO641-7’, unpatented, with smaller solid red flower color and a plant habit with fewer branches than ‘VEAZ0016’.
The male parent of ‘VEAZ0016’ was an unpatented hybrid seedling identified as ‘HO513-1’ with pink flower color with a smaller eye and is later to flowers than ‘VEAZ0016’. The seed was sown in February 2008 in in a greenhouse environment in Enkuizen, the Netherlands.
‘VEAZ0016’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in August 2008 in a greenhouse environment in Enkhuzien, The Netherlands.
The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘VEAZ0016’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were propagated from the initial selection in August 2008 in a greenhouse environment in Enkhuzien, The Netherlands.